Collapsible toothbrush



Patented Jan. 15, 1924.

JAMES W. FRD, OI' CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

COLLAPSIBLE TGOTHBRUSE.

Application 111ml May 24, 1922. Serial No. M3493.

To all ywhom t may concernf Be it known that l, JAMEs YV. Fem), a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Toothbrushes, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to brushing devices, being particularly concerned with the provision of an improved toothbrush.

The main and primary object of the invention resides in the provision of a collapsible toothbrush characterized by a brush head which may be readily removed from the handle portion and spread longitudinally thereof to form with the same a compact substantially flat assembly for convenient insertion in a suitably shaped pocket case.

While the foregoing statement is indicative, in a general way, of the nature of the invention, other Objectis and advantages not herein specifically referred to will be appreciated upon a full comprehension of the novel features presented in the construction, arrangement and operation of the present toothbrush structure.

In order that the invention may be readily understood, an exemplifying embodiment of the same is set forth in the accompanying drawing and in the following detailed description based thereon. Obviously. the invention is susceptible of embodiment in other and varied constructional forms without departure from the essence of the invention or the sacrifice of its material advantages; wherefore it is to be understood that the drawingand description are to be laken in an illustrative. and not in an unnecessarily limiting sense.

ln the drawing Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the toothbrush, showing the near side of the brush head cover broken away;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof with the brush head cover removed;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the toothbrush collapsed and arranged for insertion in a pocket case;

Fig. G is a side elevation of the brush head collapsed with its brush units spread out in end to end relation; and

Fi r. 7 is a detail section on the line 7--7 of lig. 6, showing the nature of the coupling between two adjacent brush unit ends.

Referrin now with more detail to the drawings, 1t will be observed that the tooth brush of this invention comprises, in encral. a handle portion l0, a brush hea 11, and means 12 for eecting a rigid connection between the handle portion and the brush head when the same are properly assembled for use.

The handle portion 10 is formed preferably as an elongated rectangular' Wire frame characterized by integrally associated pairs of side and end rods 13 and 14, respectively.

The brush head 1l is of a collapsible nature and consists of a plurality of narrow brush units 15 coupled together at their adjacent ends by means of small links 16 hooked about pintles carried in recesses in the ends of the bristle-retaining backs 17 of the units. These units-three of which are preferably employed-may be spread out end to end for convenient packaging with the handle portion or may be folded together by swinging the end units back against opposite sides of the middle unit to form a properly dimensioned composite brush head for assembly with the handle portion, The ends of the bristle-retaining backs 17 are shaped to provide, when the units are assembled in lateral parallel contiguity, transverse grooves across the ends of the brush head.

When the units 15 are assembled as described, the resulting composite brush head is inserted in the wire frame with its bristleretaining back positioned snugly between the side rods 13 of the wire frame adjacent one end thereof. The groove in one end of the brush head receives the transversel disposed end rod 14 against which the rush head is pressed longitudinally of the frame bv the hereinbefore mentioned securing means 1,2.

The means 12 for effecting a rigid connection between the handle portion and the brush head when the same are properly assembled for use consists of a cross-head 18 which is mounted for movement longitudinally of the frame on the spaced side rods 13 thereof which serve as cross-head guides. The bearing element of the cross-head is formed as a transverse rod 19 which is re- 

